I saw this image on Facebook awhile ago. It helps to shed light on the harmful effect market monopolies and corporations have on our choices as consumers. For someone who doesn’t realize there are alternatives, it may seem impossible to avoid commercial giants like Proctor and Gamble, who are most notoriously known for animal testing. They dominate the market, and give the illusion that we’ve got many different choices to choose from. This makes it extremely difficult for smaller companies to get started, because they can’t compete with these giants fiscally, or proportionally. This is why I fully support the practice of agorism. As the Ludwig von Mises Institute states, agorism is a practice that “(based on the principle of counter-economics) promotes withdrawing from the state and using counter-economic activities to minimize what a person contributes to the state in the form of taxes, license fees, and so forth”. In other words, an agorist lives freely, and peacefully, and participates in the marketplace by offering a service or product, without bowing down and getting government licenses, or jumping through whatever hoops required to make their business legitimate, by government standards. We aren’t free people if we require government paperwork to give credit to our business (as if some pieces of paper make us run our business betterl). An agorist operates on the principles of peace, and voluntary interaction. I know several, and they are all amazing and commendable people.

And if you think we need the government to show us how to properly run our businesses, I’d love to ask why? If you and I are such fallible human beings, how are the human beings working for the government any less fallible (and to think, they’re the ones handling tax dollars and running the country – what a joke!)?

I know it’s been awhile! Let me just say that I’ve been up to some pretty epic things. I visited New Hampshire to check out the Porcupine Freedom Festival, and let me tell you – was it amazing, or what!? A week long festival packed with food, entertainment, family, and friends! I met some amazing people, and I visited some pretty great places in New Hampshire. What was most exciting for me was to meet all of the people I had only an online connection to prior to my visit. All of the radio personalities (like the guys on Free Talk Live), political activists, civil disobedience activists, and great people I had only heard about from a distance have now become more than just a voice, and it was a pleasure to meet each and every one of them.

This was the first year that Porcfest was a full week long. Still, things picked up quite quickly, with Thursday to Saturday being (at least what I thought to be) the busiest time. There is nothing more inspiring than a bunch of anarchists and agorists alike setting up camp and selling their food, drinks, books, jewelry, art, or whatever they have to offer (including a chiropractor AND massage therapist – without permission from any governmental authority. Yes, there was some rain – but for the most part I was quite happy with the weather.

There was a crazy variety of events this year at Porcfest. Intellectual talks given by professionals, a newbie gun shoot (which I accidentally slept in for), several dance parties, quite a few radio programs broadcasting live, crafts for the kids, team sports, a humans versus zombies game (kids running around with nerf guns who looked like they were in the midst of a zombie apocalypse!), and so many more things. It was such a great opportunity to network with other liberty-minded folks, and even though I went to as many events as I could, I know I missed a ton!

I managed to drag my moisturizers, face masks, cleansers, oils, elixirs, and more all the way there, and back in one piece. I am pretty sure they took up more room than my clothes did!

Take a look at this super cute picture of myself and some of the other lovely ladies of Porcfest (and the amazing activist Julian Heicklen). This photo is from the “Unce” dance party that happened on Saturday night. Great music, and was a perfect closing party to an insane week! I loved my experience at Porcfest, but the city girl in me was extremely happy to return back to civilization after a week on Roger’s campground. And I only had 2 pieces of baklava the entire week!

What can you expect from the Classy Anarchist in the near future? I’ve got several delicious product reviews to cover, my top 10 list for clear skin, and then even more reviews, and whatever other topics / products tickle my fancy.

For those who know me, you all know I’m a fan of summer. I love going around in nothing but a bikini, short shorts, and flip flops; you can find me spending tremendous amounts of time in the sun, getting splashed with water guns, and enjoying a drink or two by the campfire. While the summers spent here in Ottawa, Canada are lovely, you can be sure I will be getting to at least several debates that involve me trying to defend my anarchist beliefs, and convince others that I am not the cold-hearted snake anarchists and libertarians are often made out to be.

What if I told you there is a place to enjoy all of these things with others who also believe in liberty? At The Porcupine Freedom Festival, which happens from June 20th to 26th at Roger’s Campground in Lancaster New Hampshire, you can enjoy these simple pleasures, and more. With a full week of events planned, there is something for everyone at Porcfest.

Families, couples, and single people can expect to enjoy a myriad of events that include dabbling into your creative side at the craft tables, organized family hikes, learning the what and the how of firearm etiquette, the chance to marry your loved one at a state-free wedding ceremony, and getting your dance on at Buzz’s BIGGER Gay Dance Party, not to mention, all of George’s Famous Baklava that everyone will be consuming! Yes, that’s right! I said baklava. And these events are just the tip of the iceberg. The Porcupine Freedom festival has everything you need to enjoy time with friends and family, get your party on, and learn more about liberty and the liberty community.

Since there are so many fun things going on, I’ll have to pick and choose (I guess we can say this is the one and only downfall of Porcfest — it is simply impossible to check out everything!), but I know I’ll definitely be checking out some of the speakers, who will be giving talks on topics ranging from their experiences as liberty activists, to different possible topics such as the use of nuclear weapons.

I will definitely be getting my groove on at Buzz’s BIGGER Gay Dance Party, checking out Tarrin Lupo’s Pirate Party (Arrrr!), sitting in and watching Ian Freeman and Mark Edge host the nationally syndicated talk radio show Free Talk Live, participating in the game of Humans versus Zombies, and many other events, while most likely partaking in the consumption of several alcoholic beverages. I have never been more excited for an event before in my life!

You can catch me at Porcfest; I will be manning the Silent Auction for certain shifts(if you are interested in donating an item to the auction that you feel would be an item of interest to the liberty community, please respond below), and other than that I’ll be frolicking about Roger’s Campground and finally meeting others who feel the same way I do about liberty!

Just some of the lovely people who came to enjoy Porcfest 2010! Courtesy of Tennyson McCalla.